"Captain Askell's family is very good," said Mary, by the way of turning off too close an inquiry into her own affairs; "and he is just in the same position as Hugh's father was; and I love Nelly like a child of my own. I feel as if she ought to have been a child of my own. She and Will used to lie in the same cradle----" "Ah, by the way," said Sir Edward, looking round once more into the corners, "where is Will?" And then it had to be explained where Will had gone, which the old man thought very curious. "To Carlisle? What did he want to go to Carlisle for? If he had been out with his fishing rod, or out with the keepers, looking after the young pheasants---- But what could he want going into Carlisle? Is Percival there?" "I hope not," said Mary, with sudden anxiety. It was an idea which had not entered into her mind before. "Why should you hope not? If he really wants to make peace with Winnie, I should think it very natural," said Sir Edward; "and Will is a curious sort of boy. He might be a very good sort of auxiliary in any negotiation. Depend upon it that's why he is gone." "I think not. I think he would have told me," said Mary, feeling her heart sink with sudden dread. "I don't see why he should have told you," said Sir Edward, who was in one of his troublesome moods, and disposed to put everybody at sixes and sevens. "He is old enough to act a little for himself. I hope you are not one of the foolish women, Mary, that like to keep their boys always at their apron-strings?"